Experimental evaluation of an Encoder Trailer for dead-reckoning in tracked mobile robots

This paper describes a device developed for improved position and orientation estimation of tracked mobile robots. This device, called Encoder Trailer, consists of two incremental encoders, one absolute encoder, two “knife-edge” wheels, and a slip ring. It is a unique design in the sense that it can minimize the systematic errors and eliminate the most important nonsystematic errors such as uneven floors and unexpected obstacles. Both theoretical analyses and experimental results demonstrated that this Encoder Trailer improves platform dead reckoning when traveling over uneven floors and unexpected obstacles